Education Commissioner John B. King Jr. said the lower scores did not necessarily reflect a drop in performance, but instead are an indication of increased expectations. “I understand these scores are sobering for parents, teachers and principals,” he said. “It’s frustrating to see our children struggle.”

Scannell echoed King’s thoughts. Asked what advice he had for parents concerned by the test scores, the superintendent said, “My suggestion to parents is: Don’t panic. The school district will adjust appropriately. This year’s tests represented a very significant shift in the assessment itself. This assessment was much more rigorous than other materials we have seen. These scores do not mean your child learned less, or that our teachers worked any less hard. We made the adjustments we could during the year and our students and teachers will continue to work hard.”

Scannell added that Baldwin’s upcoming staff development days will be almost entirely dedicated to addressing the ramped up Common Core Learning Standards.